Charlottean Breaks Record: Oldest Marathoner

92-year-old Harriette Thompson finished the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon on Sunday to become the oldest woman ever to finish a marathon. Thompson who is a resident of the Queen City completed the race in San Diego in 7hr 24min 36sec.

Remarkably, Thompson is a cancer survivor who only began running in her 70’s. Having lost several people in her family to cancer she decided to give it a try. She intended to walk her first one, but said since everyone else was running she “started to run with them.”

In the ultimate triumph, Thompson has had a challenging year. She lost her husband in January and suffered complications of a staph infection. This prevented her from training as vigorously as she liked, but when all was said and done she finished strong!